JULY @ JAZZ STANDARD Features James Cotton Band, Charles McPherson Quintet, Sean Jones Quartet, Donald Harrison Quintet with Special Guest Steve Turre, Kenny Barron Quartet featuring Stefon Harris
New York City, NY: JAZZ STANDARD, one of the nation’s premier jazz clubs, offers another impressive month of music with jazz legends and rising stars throughout July. Blues master James Cotton makes his Jazz Standard debut July 2–6, followed by veteran saxophonist Charles McPherson appearing July 10–13. Trumpeter Sean Jones leads his quartet from July 17–20; New Orleans’ own Donald Harrison, Jr. and special guest Steve Turre take over from July 24–27. From July 31 through August 3, piano legend Kenny Barron appears with his quintet and special guest Stefon Harris on vibraphone. Our “Mingus Mondays” residency continues this month, with the Mingus Big Band appearing weekly July 7, 14, 23, and 28. Below is a complete schedule of July performances at JAZZ STANDARD, along with information on the musicians. For everything else, visit http://www.jazzstandard.com.
ALL SHOW TIMES: 7:30 & 9:30PM + 11:30PM ON FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS
Jazz Standard is located at 116 E. 27th Street (between Lexington and Park) Train 6 to E. 28th Street
NEVER A MINIMUM
Student Discounts (restrictions apply)
Enjoy “NYC’s Best Barbecue” (Time Out New York) from BLUE SMOKE
And an extensive wine, beer and cocktail list
Artists and schedules are subject to change
For reservations call Jazz Standard at 212.576.2232 or visit www.ticketweb.com
JULY 2014 SCHEDULE
7/1 Jack Wilkins – 70th Birthday Celebration
Jack Wilkins - guitar
Andy McKee - bass (1st set)
Harvie S - bass - (2nd set)
Billy Drummond – drums
With Special Guest Guitarists:
John Abercrombie
Howard Alden
Gene Bertoncini
Jimmy Bruno
Larry Coryell
Joe Diorio
Vic Juris
Jazz Standard is proud to host the 70th birthday celebration of the great guitarist Jack Wilkins, a major figure on the international jazz scene from his 1973 debut album Windows to his latest MaxJazz release Until It’s Time. The Brooklyn native began playing guitar at age thirteen, and over time developed the flawless technique and imaginative chordal approach that have inspired collaborations with Chet Baker, Sarah Vaughan, Bob Brookmeyer, and Buddy Rich, to name a few. A consummate accompanist, Wilkins has gigged and/or recorded with such renowned singers as Mel Torme, Ray Charles, Morgana King, Tony Bennett, Chris Conner, and Cassandra Wilson. Tonight he’ll welcome to the bandstand a host of musical friends including fellow six-string masters John Abercrombie, Howard Alden, Gene Bertoncini, Larry Coryell, and Bucky Pizzarelli. Jack Wilkins’ 70th birthday is shaping up to be the jazz guitar event of the season—don’t miss it!
Music Charge: $30
7/2 – 7/6 The James Cotton Blues Band [except 7/4 – closed for Independence Day]
7:30pm & 9:30pm only
James Cotton, said the Chicago Tribune, “is a key link on the chain of great blues harmonica players—Sonny Boy Williamson, Little Walter, Junior Wells. Sometimes he out- rocks the Rolling Stones.” The Washington Post declares: “His spirit, stamina and sound make for a potent combination…he delivers with authority.” Born 1935 in Tunica, Mississippi, by age seventeen Cotton was playing professionally and broadcasting live on West Memphis radio station KWEM. He was a pillar of the Muddy Waters band for twelve years, then left to launch his own career in 1966, releasing the first of four Verve/Forecast albums the following year. The James Cotton Band shared stages with the Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, Santana, Steve Miller, and B.B. King; in 1996, he earned the GRAMMY Award for Best Traditional Blues Album with the Verve CD Deep In The Blues. His latest GRAMMY nominated recording, Cotton Mouth Man, released in 2013, features many guests paying tribute to this legend inclusive of Gregg Allman, Warren Haynes, Keb’ Mo’and more. Jazz Standard is proud to present a true living legend from the Golden Age of Chicago blues in his first appearance on our stage – don’t miss him!
Music Charge: $35
7/7 Mingus Big Band
In tribute to the late great bassist, composer and bandleader Charles Mingus (1922–1979), our acclaimed “Mingus Mondays” residency continues tonight with two blazing sets by the GRAMMY Award-winning Mingus Big Band. “For sheer range of expression, his work has few equals in postwar American music: furious and tender, joyous and melancholy, grave and mischievous, ecstatic and introspective. It moves from the rapture of the church to the euphoria of the ballroom, from accusation to seduction, from a whisper to a growl, often by way of startling jump cuts and sudden changes in tempo.” (Adam Shatz, “An Argument With Instruments: On Charles Mingus” — The Nation, 9.17.2013)
Music Charge: $25
7/8 Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society
Darcy James Argue – composer, conductor
Erica von Kleist, Sharel Cassity, Sam Sadigursky, John Ellis, Cark Maraghi – winds
Seneca Black, Tom Goehring, Matt Holman, David Smith, Jason Palmer, – trumpets
Mike Fahie, Marshall Gilkes, Jacob Garchik, Jennifer Wharton – trombones
Sebastian Noelle – guitar
Adam Birnbaum – piano
Matt Clohesy – bass
Jon Wikan – drums
Known as “a masterful tunesmith” (AllAboutJazz.com) with “a fresh take on what a jazz big band can do” (Ottawa Citizen), composer/conductor Darcy James Argue has developed “a nearly perfect creative synthesis between tradition and innovation” (BBC.com). His 18–piece big band Secret Society evokes an alternate musical history in which the dance orchestras of the Swing Era never went extinct but remained a popular and vital part of the evolving musical landscape. The group’s 2009 CD Infernal Machines (New Amsterdam Records) landed on the year-end best-of lists of The New York Times, Time Out New York, NPR’s Take Five and more. Secret Society’s 2013 album Brooklyn Babylon was GRAMMY nominated for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album and nominated for Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year in the JUNOs (Canada’s national music awards). “Maximalist music of impressive complexity and immense entertainment value, in your face and then in your head…” (Richard Gehr, The Village Voice)
Music Charge: $20
7/9 Nir Felder
Nir Felder – guitar
Shai Maestro – piano
Matt Penman – bass
Nate Smith – drums
Nir Felder is a new voice in jazz guitar, his playing and compositions inspired by icons from John Coltrane to Jimi Hendrix. Upon arriving in New York in 2006, he quickly became one of the city’s most sought-after sidemen, working in the bands of Esperanza Spalding, Jack DeJohnette, Greg Osby, Joey DeFrancesco, and Jose James, and performing on Terri Lyne Carrington’s GRAMMY Award-winning album Money Jungle: Provocative In Blue. Since 2010, Felder has led his group in shows throughout NYC and around Europe: “I felt like when we played, no matter who was in the band, the audience reacted in a way that let us know that what we were doing was something they felt was missing in their musical experience, something they thought was special…The response was always that this was something new and exciting for them, something they felt strongly about.” Golden Age, Nir Felder’s debut album on the Sony-distributed OKeh label, deals with themes of political, cultural and technological upheaval, with ennui and redemption, with paradise lost and then regained – as the music crisscrosses the boundaries between jazz and the rock, hip- hop, and pop music Felder grew up listening to.
Music Charge: $20
7/10 – 7/13 Charles McPherson Quintet
Charles McPherson – alto saxophone
Brian Lynch – trumpet
Jeb Patton – piano
Kiyoshi Kitagawa – bass
Justin Brown – drums
More than a half-century into his professional career, alto saxophonist Charles McPherson remains a potent creative voice in jazz both here and abroad. McPherson logged an epic twelve-year run with the Charles Mingus group (1960–1972) and has released some two- dozen albums as a leader including Live at the Five Spot (Prestige, 1966) and First Flight Out, (Arabesque, 1994). In 1988, Charles was the featured alto player on the soundtrack of Clint Eastwood’s film Bird. Joining McPherson in the front line of this outstanding quintet will be GRAMMY Award-winning trumpeter Brian Lynch, a leader in his own right who’s also worked extensively with Phil Woods and Eddie Palmieri. “The craft and sincerity, the discipline and passion that Charles McPherson brings to the alto saxophone is a tribute to the beauty of jazz.” — Stanley Crouch
Music Charge: $25/$30 Friday & Saturday
7/14 Mingus Big Band
“The 15-piece band…[brings] the kind of vivacious, sometimes outrageous feel that Mingus himself pulled from his groups…right down to the shouts of encouragement voiced by the participants.” (The Los Angeles Times)
Music Charge: $25
7/15 – 7/16 Julian Lage Trio
Julian Lage – guitar
Scott Colley – bass
Kenny Wollesen – drums
Reporting for NPR Music in 2012, Patrick Jarenwattananon noted that “the guitarist Julian Lage came to prominence as a child prodigy; still a young twenty-something, he's become a thoughtful composer and bandleader too.” Gary Burton was an important mentor to Julian, who gained pivotal early exposure through touring with the vibraphonist and appearing on Burton’s Generations (2004) and Next Generation (2005) as well as on the reunion album Common Ground (2010) by the New Gary Burton Quartet (with bassist Scott Colley and drummer Antonio Sanchez). Lage’s 2011 release Gladwell “is a brilliantly unassuming concept album that sketches an idyllic imaginary town, with each track detailing a particular location or situation,” wrote Andrew Gilbert for the website of the Boston Globe. “…With its constantly shifting moods, transparent textures, and unexpected references, Gladwell rewards repeated listening; it’s a destination that sounds like nothing else on the map.”
Music Charge: $25
7/17 – 7/20 Sean Jones Quartet
Sean Jones – trumpet
Orrin Evans – piano
Luques Curtis – bass
Obed Calvaire – drums
Anyone who thinks of jazz as an overly serious and cerebral art form just hasn’t been exposed to trumpeter Sean Jones, whose soulful swing and physical charisma has left Jazz Standard audiences shouting for more every time he’s taken our stage. The former lead trumpeter with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra has released six albums under his own name including the beautiful arranged and emotionally compelling love song collection No Need For Words (2011). “Incorporating the fierceness of Freddie Hubbard and the smooth composure of Terence Blanchard, Jones possesses his own style that can deliver blistering notes or silky tones at the drop of a hat. But he is also a deft composer and an ardent bandleader…” (Mark F. Turner, AllAboutJazz.com)
Music Charge: $25/$30 Friday & Saturday
7/21 Mingus Big Band
“He was a great bassist. But he was hard to get along with, especially about music, because he had his own definite ideas about what was good and what was bad, and he didn’t mind telling anybody what he had on his mind. In that way, we were a lot alike. Our musical ideas were different sometimes. But he was always an inventive, hard-driving, imaginative musician.” — Miles Davis on Charles Mingus, from Miles: The Autobiography by Miles Davis with Quincy Troupe (Simon & Schuster, New York, 1989)
Music Charge: $25
7/22 Lenny Pickett **CD Release**
Lenny Pickett – tenor saxophone
Tuffus Zimbabwe - piano
James Genus - bass
Wayne Krantz - guitar
Steve Wolf - drums
Making his Jazz Standard debut is tenor saxophonist Lenny Pickett. A Tower of Power alumnus, Lenny has been a member of the Saturday Night Live Band for almost 30 years, 20 of which he has served as its leader. In a rare club date, he releases his newest album, The Perscription, which features him in front of a big band playing his original music. Joining Lenny for this celebration will be SNL bandmates James Genus and Tuffus Zimbabwe, guitarist Wayne Krantz, and drummer Steve Wolf, in yet another rare club appearance.
Music Charge: $25
7/23 Pascal’s Triangle featuring Miguel Zenon & Donny McCaslin **CD Release**
Pascal Le Boeuf – piano
Miguel Zenón – alto saxophone
Donny McCaslin – tenor saxophone
Charles Altura- guitar
Linda Oh – bass
Justin Brown – drums
Following 2013’s ambitious Pascal's Triangle, Pascal LeBoeuf comes to Jazz Standard to release his second trio album, Blackout Lullaby. Inspired by the effects of Hurricane Sandy on October 31st, 2012, Blackout Lullaby is a collection of acoustic piano trio works created to express the experience of forced restfulness, peace and rebirth in the space that follows such events. The other titles are linked to the same theme of involuntary moments of silent reflection: the uncanny quiet of urban spaces, the forest at night, sleep walking, dreams, alcoholism and environmentalism. Pascal brings with him an impressive array of special guests for the occasion, including the innovative saxophonists Donny McCaslin and Miguel Zenón. “Pianist Pascal Le Boeuf is a 21st century renaissance man. He's made inroads in the worlds of classical music, indie-rock, and jazz . . . here is at least as much Debussy evident in his compositional style as there is Bill Evans . . . listeners who prefer quality over flash will be amply rewarded." (The Rochester City Paper)
7/24 – 7/27 Donald Harrison Quintet with special guest Steve Turre
Donald Harrison, Jr. – saxophone
Zaccai Curtis – piano
Max Moran – bass
Joe Dyson – drums
With Special Guest:
Steve Turre – trombone, shells
Saxophonist, bandleader, composer, singer, actor, costume maker, custom furniture designer & builder, and educator: New Orleans native Donald Harrison, Jr. is a true renaissance man of modern music. In 2012, Harrison’s album Quantum Leap explored new concepts in time, harmony, and melody, melding cutting-edge jazz with New Orleans funk. He’s gigged and/or recorded with a roster of boldface names ranging from Art Blakey and Lena Horne to Dr. John and Eddie Palmieri; and mentored such rising stars as trumpeter Christian Scott and singer/horn man Trombone Shorty. This much-anticipated Jazz Standard engagement will feature a very special guest: trombonist and shells player Steve Turre, another Blakey veteran and an esteemed bandleader and recording artist in his own right.
Music Charge: $25/$30 Friday & Saturday
7/28 Mingus Big Band
“Bold and brawny, the Mingus Big Band roars in ways that would please its late namesake...Mingus’ sound is indomitable. Over time, his music has not lost an iota— instead, it has gained hefty measures—of relevance and resonance, wit and grit.” (From Down Beat four-star review of Gun-Slinging Bird by the Mingus Big Band)
Music Charge: $25
7/29 – 7/30 Chris Bergson Band
Chris Bergson – guitar, vocal
Ellis Hooks - vocals
Steven Bernstein – trumpet
David Luther – tenor sax
Ian Hendrickson–Smith – baritone saxophone
Craig Dreyer – organ, Wurlitzer piano, backing vocals
Matt Clohesy – bass
Ethan Eubanks – drums
Welcome back, modern blues master Chris Bergson, whose latest CD is also his first to be recorded Live at Jazz Standard. The CD was cited as MOJO Magazine’s “Blues Album of the Month,” with reviewer Tony Russell awarding four stars and declaring “the music is as tight as a hangman's knot.” The new album is further evidence that this skilled singer/guitarist also is “one of the most inventive songwriters in modern blues music” (All Music Guide). Chris Bergson has performed and/or shared the stage with Hubert Sumlin, Levon Helm, B.B. King, Norah Jones, John Hammond, Etta James, and Bettye LaVette, to name just a few.
Music Charge: $20
7/31 – 8/3 Kenny Barron Quartet featuring Stefon Harris
Stefon Harris – vibes & marimba
Kenny Barron – piano
Kiyoshi Kitigawa – bass
Johnathan Blake - drums
Kenny Barron’s unmatched ability to mesmerize audiences with his elegant playing, sensitive melodies and infectious rhythms is what inspired the Los Angles Times to name him “one of the top jazz pianists in the world” and Jazz Weekly to call him “the most lyrical pianist of our time.” Born 1943 in Philadelphia, both Kenny and his late brother, saxophonist Bill Barron, were playing professionally while still in their teens. When Kenny joined Dizzy Gillespie’s band in 1962 for a five-year stint, he was elevated to the upper echelons of the New York jazz world, and he was soon in demand by such leaders as Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Turrentine, Milt Jackson, Buddy Rich and Yusef Lateef. In 1974, Barron released his first album, Sunset To Dawn (Muse) — first of the nine-time GRAMMY Award nominee’s more than 40 recordings as a leader. This week at Jazz Standard, the Kenny Barron Quintet welcomes its very special guest, vibraphonist Stefon Harris, whose gorgeous playing graced the pianist’s 2006 CD The Perfect Set: Live At Bradley’s, Part Two.
Music Charge: $30
New York City, NY: JAZZ STANDARD, one of the nation’s premier jazz clubs, offers another impressive month of music with jazz legends and rising stars throughout July. Blues master James Cotton makes his Jazz Standard debut July 2–6, followed by veteran saxophonist Charles McPherson appearing July 10–13. Trumpeter Sean Jones leads his quartet from July 17–20; New Orleans’ own Donald Harrison, Jr. and special guest Steve Turre take over from July 24–27. From July 31 through August 3, piano legend Kenny Barron appears with his quintet and special guest Stefon Harris on vibraphone. Our “Mingus Mondays” residency continues this month, with the Mingus Big Band appearing weekly July 7, 14, 23, and 28. Below is a complete schedule of July performances at JAZZ STANDARD, along with information on the musicians. For everything else, visit http://www.jazzstandard.com.
ALL SHOW TIMES: 7:30 & 9:30PM + 11:30PM ON FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS
Jazz Standard is located at 116 E. 27th Street (between Lexington and Park) Train 6 to E. 28th Street
NEVER A MINIMUM
Student Discounts (restrictions apply)
Enjoy “NYC’s Best Barbecue” (Time Out New York) from BLUE SMOKE
And an extensive wine, beer and cocktail list
Artists and schedules are subject to change
For reservations call Jazz Standard at 212.576.2232 or visit www.ticketweb.com
JULY 2014 SCHEDULE
7/1 Jack Wilkins – 70th Birthday Celebration
Jack Wilkins - guitar
Andy McKee - bass (1st set)
Harvie S - bass - (2nd set)
Billy Drummond – drums
With Special Guest Guitarists:
John Abercrombie
Howard Alden
Gene Bertoncini
Jimmy Bruno
Larry Coryell
Joe Diorio
Vic Juris
Jazz Standard is proud to host the 70th birthday celebration of the great guitarist Jack Wilkins, a major figure on the international jazz scene from his 1973 debut album Windows to his latest MaxJazz release Until It’s Time. The Brooklyn native began playing guitar at age thirteen, and over time developed the flawless technique and imaginative chordal approach that have inspired collaborations with Chet Baker, Sarah Vaughan, Bob Brookmeyer, and Buddy Rich, to name a few. A consummate accompanist, Wilkins has gigged and/or recorded with such renowned singers as Mel Torme, Ray Charles, Morgana King, Tony Bennett, Chris Conner, and Cassandra Wilson. Tonight he’ll welcome to the bandstand a host of musical friends including fellow six-string masters John Abercrombie, Howard Alden, Gene Bertoncini, Larry Coryell, and Bucky Pizzarelli. Jack Wilkins’ 70th birthday is shaping up to be the jazz guitar event of the season—don’t miss it!
Music Charge: $30
7/2 – 7/6 The James Cotton Blues Band [except 7/4 – closed for Independence Day]
7:30pm & 9:30pm only
James Cotton, said the Chicago Tribune, “is a key link on the chain of great blues harmonica players—Sonny Boy Williamson, Little Walter, Junior Wells. Sometimes he out- rocks the Rolling Stones.” The Washington Post declares: “His spirit, stamina and sound make for a potent combination…he delivers with authority.” Born 1935 in Tunica, Mississippi, by age seventeen Cotton was playing professionally and broadcasting live on West Memphis radio station KWEM. He was a pillar of the Muddy Waters band for twelve years, then left to launch his own career in 1966, releasing the first of four Verve/Forecast albums the following year. The James Cotton Band shared stages with the Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, Santana, Steve Miller, and B.B. King; in 1996, he earned the GRAMMY Award for Best Traditional Blues Album with the Verve CD Deep In The Blues. His latest GRAMMY nominated recording, Cotton Mouth Man, released in 2013, features many guests paying tribute to this legend inclusive of Gregg Allman, Warren Haynes, Keb’ Mo’and more. Jazz Standard is proud to present a true living legend from the Golden Age of Chicago blues in his first appearance on our stage – don’t miss him!
Music Charge: $35
7/7 Mingus Big Band
In tribute to the late great bassist, composer and bandleader Charles Mingus (1922–1979), our acclaimed “Mingus Mondays” residency continues tonight with two blazing sets by the GRAMMY Award-winning Mingus Big Band. “For sheer range of expression, his work has few equals in postwar American music: furious and tender, joyous and melancholy, grave and mischievous, ecstatic and introspective. It moves from the rapture of the church to the euphoria of the ballroom, from accusation to seduction, from a whisper to a growl, often by way of startling jump cuts and sudden changes in tempo.” (Adam Shatz, “An Argument With Instruments: On Charles Mingus” — The Nation, 9.17.2013)
Music Charge: $25
7/8 Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society
Darcy James Argue – composer, conductor
Erica von Kleist, Sharel Cassity, Sam Sadigursky, John Ellis, Cark Maraghi – winds
Seneca Black, Tom Goehring, Matt Holman, David Smith, Jason Palmer, – trumpets
Mike Fahie, Marshall Gilkes, Jacob Garchik, Jennifer Wharton – trombones
Sebastian Noelle – guitar
Adam Birnbaum – piano
Matt Clohesy – bass
Jon Wikan – drums
Known as “a masterful tunesmith” (AllAboutJazz.com) with “a fresh take on what a jazz big band can do” (Ottawa Citizen), composer/conductor Darcy James Argue has developed “a nearly perfect creative synthesis between tradition and innovation” (BBC.com). His 18–piece big band Secret Society evokes an alternate musical history in which the dance orchestras of the Swing Era never went extinct but remained a popular and vital part of the evolving musical landscape. The group’s 2009 CD Infernal Machines (New Amsterdam Records) landed on the year-end best-of lists of The New York Times, Time Out New York, NPR’s Take Five and more. Secret Society’s 2013 album Brooklyn Babylon was GRAMMY nominated for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album and nominated for Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year in the JUNOs (Canada’s national music awards). “Maximalist music of impressive complexity and immense entertainment value, in your face and then in your head…” (Richard Gehr, The Village Voice)
Music Charge: $20
7/9 Nir Felder
Nir Felder – guitar
Shai Maestro – piano
Matt Penman – bass
Nate Smith – drums
Nir Felder is a new voice in jazz guitar, his playing and compositions inspired by icons from John Coltrane to Jimi Hendrix. Upon arriving in New York in 2006, he quickly became one of the city’s most sought-after sidemen, working in the bands of Esperanza Spalding, Jack DeJohnette, Greg Osby, Joey DeFrancesco, and Jose James, and performing on Terri Lyne Carrington’s GRAMMY Award-winning album Money Jungle: Provocative In Blue. Since 2010, Felder has led his group in shows throughout NYC and around Europe: “I felt like when we played, no matter who was in the band, the audience reacted in a way that let us know that what we were doing was something they felt was missing in their musical experience, something they thought was special…The response was always that this was something new and exciting for them, something they felt strongly about.” Golden Age, Nir Felder’s debut album on the Sony-distributed OKeh label, deals with themes of political, cultural and technological upheaval, with ennui and redemption, with paradise lost and then regained – as the music crisscrosses the boundaries between jazz and the rock, hip- hop, and pop music Felder grew up listening to.
Music Charge: $20
7/10 – 7/13 Charles McPherson Quintet
Charles McPherson – alto saxophone
Brian Lynch – trumpet
Jeb Patton – piano
Kiyoshi Kitagawa – bass
Justin Brown – drums
More than a half-century into his professional career, alto saxophonist Charles McPherson remains a potent creative voice in jazz both here and abroad. McPherson logged an epic twelve-year run with the Charles Mingus group (1960–1972) and has released some two- dozen albums as a leader including Live at the Five Spot (Prestige, 1966) and First Flight Out, (Arabesque, 1994). In 1988, Charles was the featured alto player on the soundtrack of Clint Eastwood’s film Bird. Joining McPherson in the front line of this outstanding quintet will be GRAMMY Award-winning trumpeter Brian Lynch, a leader in his own right who’s also worked extensively with Phil Woods and Eddie Palmieri. “The craft and sincerity, the discipline and passion that Charles McPherson brings to the alto saxophone is a tribute to the beauty of jazz.” — Stanley Crouch
Music Charge: $25/$30 Friday & Saturday
7/14 Mingus Big Band
“The 15-piece band…[brings] the kind of vivacious, sometimes outrageous feel that Mingus himself pulled from his groups…right down to the shouts of encouragement voiced by the participants.” (The Los Angeles Times)
Music Charge: $25
7/15 – 7/16 Julian Lage Trio
Julian Lage – guitar
Scott Colley – bass
Kenny Wollesen – drums
Reporting for NPR Music in 2012, Patrick Jarenwattananon noted that “the guitarist Julian Lage came to prominence as a child prodigy; still a young twenty-something, he's become a thoughtful composer and bandleader too.” Gary Burton was an important mentor to Julian, who gained pivotal early exposure through touring with the vibraphonist and appearing on Burton’s Generations (2004) and Next Generation (2005) as well as on the reunion album Common Ground (2010) by the New Gary Burton Quartet (with bassist Scott Colley and drummer Antonio Sanchez). Lage’s 2011 release Gladwell “is a brilliantly unassuming concept album that sketches an idyllic imaginary town, with each track detailing a particular location or situation,” wrote Andrew Gilbert for the website of the Boston Globe. “…With its constantly shifting moods, transparent textures, and unexpected references, Gladwell rewards repeated listening; it’s a destination that sounds like nothing else on the map.”
Music Charge: $25
7/17 – 7/20 Sean Jones Quartet
Sean Jones – trumpet
Orrin Evans – piano
Luques Curtis – bass
Obed Calvaire – drums
Anyone who thinks of jazz as an overly serious and cerebral art form just hasn’t been exposed to trumpeter Sean Jones, whose soulful swing and physical charisma has left Jazz Standard audiences shouting for more every time he’s taken our stage. The former lead trumpeter with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra has released six albums under his own name including the beautiful arranged and emotionally compelling love song collection No Need For Words (2011). “Incorporating the fierceness of Freddie Hubbard and the smooth composure of Terence Blanchard, Jones possesses his own style that can deliver blistering notes or silky tones at the drop of a hat. But he is also a deft composer and an ardent bandleader…” (Mark F. Turner, AllAboutJazz.com)
Music Charge: $25/$30 Friday & Saturday
7/21 Mingus Big Band
“He was a great bassist. But he was hard to get along with, especially about music, because he had his own definite ideas about what was good and what was bad, and he didn’t mind telling anybody what he had on his mind. In that way, we were a lot alike. Our musical ideas were different sometimes. But he was always an inventive, hard-driving, imaginative musician.” — Miles Davis on Charles Mingus, from Miles: The Autobiography by Miles Davis with Quincy Troupe (Simon & Schuster, New York, 1989)
Music Charge: $25
7/22 Lenny Pickett **CD Release**
Lenny Pickett – tenor saxophone
Tuffus Zimbabwe - piano
James Genus - bass
Wayne Krantz - guitar
Steve Wolf - drums
Making his Jazz Standard debut is tenor saxophonist Lenny Pickett. A Tower of Power alumnus, Lenny has been a member of the Saturday Night Live Band for almost 30 years, 20 of which he has served as its leader. In a rare club date, he releases his newest album, The Perscription, which features him in front of a big band playing his original music. Joining Lenny for this celebration will be SNL bandmates James Genus and Tuffus Zimbabwe, guitarist Wayne Krantz, and drummer Steve Wolf, in yet another rare club appearance.
Music Charge: $25
7/23 Pascal’s Triangle featuring Miguel Zenon & Donny McCaslin **CD Release**
Pascal Le Boeuf – piano
Miguel Zenón – alto saxophone
Donny McCaslin – tenor saxophone
Charles Altura- guitar
Linda Oh – bass
Justin Brown – drums
Following 2013’s ambitious Pascal's Triangle, Pascal LeBoeuf comes to Jazz Standard to release his second trio album, Blackout Lullaby. Inspired by the effects of Hurricane Sandy on October 31st, 2012, Blackout Lullaby is a collection of acoustic piano trio works created to express the experience of forced restfulness, peace and rebirth in the space that follows such events. The other titles are linked to the same theme of involuntary moments of silent reflection: the uncanny quiet of urban spaces, the forest at night, sleep walking, dreams, alcoholism and environmentalism. Pascal brings with him an impressive array of special guests for the occasion, including the innovative saxophonists Donny McCaslin and Miguel Zenón. “Pianist Pascal Le Boeuf is a 21st century renaissance man. He's made inroads in the worlds of classical music, indie-rock, and jazz . . . here is at least as much Debussy evident in his compositional style as there is Bill Evans . . . listeners who prefer quality over flash will be amply rewarded." (The Rochester City Paper)
7/24 – 7/27 Donald Harrison Quintet with special guest Steve Turre
Donald Harrison, Jr. – saxophone
Zaccai Curtis – piano
Max Moran – bass
Joe Dyson – drums
With Special Guest:
Steve Turre – trombone, shells
Saxophonist, bandleader, composer, singer, actor, costume maker, custom furniture designer & builder, and educator: New Orleans native Donald Harrison, Jr. is a true renaissance man of modern music. In 2012, Harrison’s album Quantum Leap explored new concepts in time, harmony, and melody, melding cutting-edge jazz with New Orleans funk. He’s gigged and/or recorded with a roster of boldface names ranging from Art Blakey and Lena Horne to Dr. John and Eddie Palmieri; and mentored such rising stars as trumpeter Christian Scott and singer/horn man Trombone Shorty. This much-anticipated Jazz Standard engagement will feature a very special guest: trombonist and shells player Steve Turre, another Blakey veteran and an esteemed bandleader and recording artist in his own right.
Music Charge: $25/$30 Friday & Saturday
7/28 Mingus Big Band
“Bold and brawny, the Mingus Big Band roars in ways that would please its late namesake...Mingus’ sound is indomitable. Over time, his music has not lost an iota— instead, it has gained hefty measures—of relevance and resonance, wit and grit.” (From Down Beat four-star review of Gun-Slinging Bird by the Mingus Big Band)
Music Charge: $25
7/29 – 7/30 Chris Bergson Band
Chris Bergson – guitar, vocal
Ellis Hooks - vocals
Steven Bernstein – trumpet
David Luther – tenor sax
Ian Hendrickson–Smith – baritone saxophone
Craig Dreyer – organ, Wurlitzer piano, backing vocals
Matt Clohesy – bass
Ethan Eubanks – drums
Welcome back, modern blues master Chris Bergson, whose latest CD is also his first to be recorded Live at Jazz Standard. The CD was cited as MOJO Magazine’s “Blues Album of the Month,” with reviewer Tony Russell awarding four stars and declaring “the music is as tight as a hangman's knot.” The new album is further evidence that this skilled singer/guitarist also is “one of the most inventive songwriters in modern blues music” (All Music Guide). Chris Bergson has performed and/or shared the stage with Hubert Sumlin, Levon Helm, B.B. King, Norah Jones, John Hammond, Etta James, and Bettye LaVette, to name just a few.
Music Charge: $20
7/31 – 8/3 Kenny Barron Quartet featuring Stefon Harris
Stefon Harris – vibes & marimba
Kenny Barron – piano
Kiyoshi Kitigawa – bass
Johnathan Blake - drums
Kenny Barron’s unmatched ability to mesmerize audiences with his elegant playing, sensitive melodies and infectious rhythms is what inspired the Los Angles Times to name him “one of the top jazz pianists in the world” and Jazz Weekly to call him “the most lyrical pianist of our time.” Born 1943 in Philadelphia, both Kenny and his late brother, saxophonist Bill Barron, were playing professionally while still in their teens. When Kenny joined Dizzy Gillespie’s band in 1962 for a five-year stint, he was elevated to the upper echelons of the New York jazz world, and he was soon in demand by such leaders as Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Turrentine, Milt Jackson, Buddy Rich and Yusef Lateef. In 1974, Barron released his first album, Sunset To Dawn (Muse) — first of the nine-time GRAMMY Award nominee’s more than 40 recordings as a leader. This week at Jazz Standard, the Kenny Barron Quintet welcomes its very special guest, vibraphonist Stefon Harris, whose gorgeous playing graced the pianist’s 2006 CD The Perfect Set: Live At Bradley’s, Part Two.
Music Charge: $30
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